Chevy promoted its new cars in 1956 by jumping and crashing them

Supplied, USAutoIndustry/YouTube

No seatbelts, no rollcages and no worries are present in this amusing 1950's promotional film

by
Clayton Seams | May 5, 2014

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It’s difficult today to find a car ad that doesn’t have the “professional driver on a closed course” disclaimer in it, but the 1950s were a very different time. This fantastic video from 1956 shows brand new Chevys being jumped, rolled and crashed to promote safety and durability. It’s like a demolition derby mixed with a classic circus.

The feats in the video are astounding when you consider that this stuff was done without seatbelts or rollcages in massive ’50s cars that handle like a Mississippi paddle wheeler. The massive six to 10 metre jump is particularly impressive.

There are also plenty of slow-motion shots where you can watch the hilarious body roll of these great tanks. We need more promotional tours like this today!